All-new Toyota C-HR – with so much more as standard

THE original Toyota C-HR was developed to help the Japanese brand grow its share in the European market, and it went on to become a huge success in Ireland and right across Europe.

Development work for the new C-HR was led by Toyota’s technical centre in Brussels, and it is clear to see that it has been created with European drivers in mind.

The new C-HR is available in Sport, Sport +, Sol, Premiere Edition and GR Sport Premiere trim grades, with a host of Monotone, Bi-Tone, and Bi-Tone + (plus) colour options on offer – depending on the trim grade chosen. Similarly, for the interior trim, buyers can choose from black fabric, partial leather & suede, or black leather to complement their personal taste and style.

The first 3 trim grades in the new C-HR come with Toyota’s 1.8-litre petrol/hybrid engine as standard, with the top two trim grades exclusively available with Toyota’s 2.0-litre petrol/ hybrid unit. Now in its 5th generation, Toyota’s latest hybrid tech is the most advanced yet. All versions of the new C-HR come with ‘Toyota Safety Sense 3’ as standard.

The ergonomically-designed cabin in the new C-HR provides good space for front seat occupants, and the relatively-wide interior creates decent space between the driver and their front seat passenger.

Tall rear seat occupants may feel somewhat cramped, but the new C-HR does provide more cabin space than its predecessor, so rear seat occupants will benefit in that respect.

The dashboard layout is very similar to that of the original C-HR, and it retains separate physical buttons and knobs for the climate control under the intuitive central colour touchscreen.

The C-HR’s intelligent cockpit keeps everything in sync between the car and your smartphone.

The My Toyota App opens up a world of connectivity so that you can check your car’s battery level, schedule charging and view trip data, along with the ability to heat or cool the vehicle before driving.

My Toyota C-HR Hybrid review car was in generously-equipped Sol specification, and it looked truly elegant in its Bi-Tone Red Pearl pearlescent paintwork with a black roof.

The 1.8-litre petrol-electric hybrid engine produces 140hp and 142Nm of torque, and it enables the car to reach 100km/h from a standstill in 9.9-seconds.

With an official WLTP fuel consumption rating as low as 4.8l/100km (58.8mpg) on a combined driving cycle, the new C-HR promises to be easy on the pocket, with emissions from as little as 108g/km leading to annual road tax of just €180.

The relatively soft suspension in the new C-HR does result in a comfortable ride quality for all occupants, and the car performs in a competent, mature manner at all times.

The well-weighted steering has an excellent accuracy to it, and this works well both on urban streets and when driving on faster roads, while body lean is kept to an absolute minimum through sharp bends and tight corners.

In addition to the generous levels of standard equipment in the two lower trim grades, the Sol grade brings with fabric & partial vegan leather & suede upholstery, powered tailgate door, 19” glossy black machined-face alloy wheels, Bi-LED headlamps with automatic high beam assist, power seat adjustment for driver with memory function, seat back pockets on driver and front passenger seats, and a cabin lamp with multi ambient lighting options.

Other useful features that are included as standard are front sports seats with heating, rear privacy glass, power-adjustable & auto fold heated door mirrors, keyless smart entry, dual-zone climate control, 60:40 split-folding rear seats, a 12.3” Toyota Touch™ 2 multimedia system with embedded navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™, Bluetooth™ hands-free system, audio system with 6 speakers, voice recognition, My Toyota Connected Services, and a wireless smartphone charger.

The fixed panoramic roof features special coatings to insulate the cabin, keeping it warm in winter and cool in summer.

This eliminates the need for a sunshade, thereby reducing weight and increasing interior space.

The strikingly-designed new C-HR is frugal, fun to drive, comfortable, refined and generously equipped, and it is sure to be yet another huge success for Toyota in Ireland.

Ex-works pricing starts at €40,520 for the Sport trim, with my review car specification priced from €45,010.